UA Local 51

Name

UA Local 51

Legal name

Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry Local 51

Website

https://ualocal51.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Union Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Building Equipment Contractors (2382)

SIC

Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Plumbing (Residential & Commercial) (EDAOACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

HVAC Installation & Service (Residential & Commercial) (EDAOACAC), Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE) (EDAAALAH)

Keywords

• Plumbing trade union
• Pipefitting apprenticeship program
• HVAC training services
• Skilled trades apprenticeship
• Union workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

East Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Union membership dues: Members pay union dues which fund the union's operations, training programs, benefits administration, and political activities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UA Local 51 is a craft labor union that recruits, trains, and represents plumbers, pipefitters, and refrigeration (HVAC) technicians. It runs a 5-year registered apprenticeship program combining 1,230 classroom hours with 10,000 on-the-job hours, leading to dual Journeyperson licensing in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The union connects its trained journeymen with over 70 signatory contractors through Project Labor Agreements for commercial, industrial, and residential piping projects.

Product overview

UA Local 51 is a labor union offering a unified portfolio of training and membership services. The core offerings include a 5-year registered apprenticeship program in Plumbing, Pipefitting, and Refrigeration (HVAC), supplemented by a state-of-the-art training facility with hands-on and distance learning capabilities. Union membership provides access to benefits (health, pension, annuity), scholarships, licensing support, and connections to signatory contractors. The portfolio is organized as training tracks (Plumbing, Pipefitting, Refrigeration) supported by the centralized training center, with member services layered on top for union members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Program A 5-year joint apprenticeship program combining 1,230 classroom hours and 10,000 on-the-job training hours in Plumbing, Pipefitting, or Refrigeration (HVAC). Leads to dual Journeyperson licensing in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and is open to candidates during the annual March recruitment window with a $51 application fee.
• Plumbing Training Training track covering installation and repair of water, waste disposal, drainage, and gas systems in commercial, industrial, and residential buildings, including municipal water treatment, medical gas installation, and back-flow prevention. Targeted at apprentices pursuing Journeyperson licensing.
• Pipefitting Training Training track covering installation and repair of pressure pipe systems used in manufacturing, electricity generation, and building heating/cooling, including welding certification in Heliarc, Mechanical, Orbital, and Shielded Metal Arc disciplines. Targeted at apprentices pursuing Journeyperson licensing.
• Refrigeration (HVAC) Training Training track in heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration systems for residential, commercial, and specialized facilities including clean rooms, pharmaceutical plants, food processing, and data centers. Targeted at apprentices pursuing Journeyperson licensing.
• Training Center A 20,400 square foot state-of-the-art training facility in East Providence, RI with 28 welding stations, residential/commercial mock-ups, a 60-ton refrigeration chill unit, computer labs with virtual welding, and a North America-wide distance learning center. Used to deliver all Local 51 apprenticeship and continuing education instruction.
• Union Membership Services Ongoing benefits and administrative services for plumbers, pipefitters, and refrigeration technicians including Health & Welfare, Supplemental Pension, Annuity, scholarships, licensing support, and member-only online resources. Funded by member dues.
• Contractor Directory Searchable directory of over 70 signatory contractors in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and other states that employ UA Local 51 members for plumbing, pipefitting, and HVAC projects. Used by building owners, facility managers, and end users to find union contractors.

Quantifiable outcome

• First year apprentices make over $21.00/hour with a total package over $36.00/hour
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997UA Local 51 is a local union member of the international United Association. The parent organization founded in 1889 provides the framework for apprenticeship standards, political action, and collective bargaining. The UA has the first nationally registered joint apprenticeship program in the United States.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Lincoln Tech: For-profit technical and trade school offering HVAC, plumbing and electrical programs. Comparable as an alternative training provider competing for the same prospective apprentices that Local 51 recruits through its annual March intake.

Broad incumbents

• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): National open-shop contractor association that competes with UA locals for construction labor demand. Relevant peer because it represents the non-union alternative that Local 51's signatory contractor network competes against on project bids.
• NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research): National craft training and credentialing body used by many open-shop contractors. Comparable as an alternative workforce development pathway that competes with Local 51's apprenticeship for trainees and signatory contractors.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 99: Building trades union local serving Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Comparable as a sister craft union offering apprenticeship, journeyman licensing, and signatory contractor placement, though for electrical rather than mechanical trades.

Direct peers

• United Association Local 12: Another United Association plumbing and pipefitting local in the New England region. Direct comparable as a sister local running the same UA apprenticeship framework, signatory contractor model, and dual-licensing approach in an adjacent geography.
• United Association Local 449 (Steamfitters): UA-affiliated local providing HVAC, refrigeration and pipefitting labor in a separate metro area. Directly comparable through shared UA standards, apprenticeship structure, and contractor-driven job placement.
• United Association Local 22: Sister UA local covering Connecticut with a similar plumbing, pipefitting, and HVAC service mix. Direct peer because it operates the same UA apprenticeship curriculum, training center model, and signatory contractor placement system.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=D6mUqcsmu_I&t=2s
• Xx.com/UA_Local_51
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/local-51

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UA Local 51